Maca

by Life Enthusiast Staff

On the high Andes, at extreme altitude, grows Maca. It is a potato-like primary food staple for entire populations living at high altitudes. They trade it for beans and corn with those farming the lower altitudes.

It is interesting in that it is a tuberous root, but propagates by means of flowering and seeds.

The early Spaniards arriving in these high altitude regions soon noticed that while the natives' livestock herds reproduced vigorously, their own herds languished uninterested in life and "love." The natives shared their secret of Maca. Soon the Spanish herds were reproducing as lively as the indigenous herds. Maca made the difference.

And for men or women who are "languishing," it may only take a small amount of 4:1 Maca extract to make a meaningful difference.

EFFECT OF Lepidium meyenii walp (MACA) ADMINISTERED IN FORM OF CAPSULES OF GELATINIZED MACA TO ADULT MALES, APPARENTLY NORMAL

This trial has been prepared to prove the effect of Lepidium meyenii (maca) over the hormonal pattern, sexual behavior and erectile function; physical well-being and reaction to stress; red corpuscles and nutritional state for a healthy human being.

The trial took a sample of males between 20 and 40 years old. The men were placed in placebo and Maca groups according to the treatment received. The trial was prospective and double blind. The trial was carried out between December 2000 and May 2001 by researchers of Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Peruvian University Cayetano Heredia), department of Sciences and Philosophy and Instituto de Investigaciones de la Altura (Institute of Highlands Researches). The principal researcher was Dr. Gustavo Gonzales, the associate researchers were Amanda Cordova, Arturo Chung, Arturo Villena, Carmen Goñez, Karla Vega, Julio Rubio, Manuel Gasco, Carla Gonzales, Sharon Castillo and Diana Garayar.

The primary conclusions resulting from the trial are:

HEMODYNAMIC ASPECTS

· The treatment with gelatinized maca produces a reducing effect of diastolic arterial pressure.
· Gelatinized maca does not modify neither heart frequency nor arterial saturation of oxygen.
· During the trial hematocrit is not affected by maca, which an anti-anemic effect may exist.

NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS

· Gelatinized maca has an important effect as an energizer.
· Energizer effect may be associated to the increase of serum levels of human growth hormone.
· Maca has effects over energy reserves acting over body fat.
· Maca does not increase iodine in urine.

STATE OF MIND

· Gelatinized maca improves the state of mind
· DHEA levels increased in a large proportion of the males treated with maca.

· The treatment with gelatinized maca decreases stress.
· The treatment with gelatinized maca reduces the scale of mind renounce, favoring a better response to stress.

SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION

· Gelatinized maca improves the level of sexual desire by an average of 180% compared to the placebo group.
· Maca treatment does not modify HL levels
· Maca increases seminal volume, doubles the count of spermatozoids and mobility of spermatozoids.